Credit transfer and RPL within VET courses developed or endorsed by NESA
Credit transfer and recognition of prior learning (RPL) allow students to have their previous learning count towards the completion of VET courses and AQF VET qualifications. Find out how to apply and look over some example scenarios.
About credit transfer and RPL
Credit transfer and RPL acknowledge evidence of a student’s achievement of competencies or learning outcomes. They allow students to have their previous learning (formal, informal, or non-formal) count towards Stage 5 (Year 9 or 10) or Stage 6 (HSC) VET courses and AQF VET qualifications.
Students can be granted credit (credit transfer or RPL) for:
- units of competency in AQF VET qualifications
- VET course requirements including:
- indicative hour requirements of Stage 5 or Stage 6 VET courses
- VET course outcomes and HSC content in Stage 6 VET Industry Curriculum Frameworks (Frameworks)
- mandatory work placement requirements (RPL only).
Indicative hour requirements
For students undertaking multiple VET courses, the same unit of competency may be included in more than one VET course.
Where a student is granted credit transfer or RPL for a unit of competency that is included in one or more VET courses, they may be required to undertake additional units of competency to meet the course indicative hour requirements (ACE Rule 14.4.2).
HSC Content in Frameworks
Where a unit of competency associated with an HSC focus area (HSC Content) has been awarded through credit transfer or RPL in a Framework course, the school or registered training organisation (RTO) delivering the course is responsible for:
- determining any gaps in the prescribed scope of learning detailed in the HSC Content
- providing a program which enables the student to address the identified gaps.
HSC VET exam
Students who have been granted credit transfer and/or RPL for some or all units of competency in a Framework course are eligible to sit the HSC VET exam provided they meet the requirements of the corresponding 240-hour course.
(Note, eligibility for the Human Services exam is completion of the 240- or 360-hour course.)
For students who have been granted credit transfer and/or RPL for some or all of the HSC focus areas associated units of competency, the school or RTO delivering the course must:
- support exam preparation for students who intend to sit the HSC VET exam
- enter an estimated HSC exam mark in Schools Online for all students entered for the HSC VET exam by the due date outlined in the Timetable of actions for secondary schools.
Refer to Assessment Certification Examination (ACE) Rule 14.5.2 for further advice.
RPL for work placement
RPL may be granted for mandatory work placement requirements. Students’ outside employment (that is, not under the auspices of the school) may be recognised towards the requirement for work placement in a VET course (ACE Rule 14.4.2).
Credit transfer cannot be granted for work placement as no formal learning and assessment program is deemed to be equivalent.
Applying for credit transfer and RPL within VET courses
Principals have delegated authority from NESA to assess and approve applications for credit transfer and RPL for VET course requirements. Determination of credit transfer or RPL for units of competency must be made by an RTO with the AQF VET qualification on its scope of registration.
Students seeking credit transfer and/or RPL within VET courses are responsible for:
- initiating an application with the school and/or RTO delivering the Stage 5 or Stage 6 VET course
- providing certified copies of relevant documentation as supporting evidence to the school and/or RTO including for:
- credit transfer, the AQF VET Certificate and Transcript of Competencies achieved and/or AQF VET Statement of Attainment showing competencies achieved
- RPL, documented evidence of the formal, informal or non-formal learning previously completed.
Schools and RTOs must support students in completing the application form.
Application for credit transfer and/or RPL within VET courses
Certified copies of completed applications and supporting documentation must be retained by the school and RTO for a minimum period of 24 months.
Where credit transfer and/or RPL is granted, schools and RTOs must liaise about information that needs to be entered in Schools Online.
Informing students of the result of their application
Schools and RTOs must advise students, in writing, on the result of their application.
Examples of scenarios for credit transfer or RPL
Scenario
A student is entered in Retail Services (240 indicative hours) and has achieved Certificate III in Retail outside of schooling through a part-time traineeship.
The student has applied for:
- credit transfer for the units of competency that are included in the 240-hour Retail Services course – this equates to the full 240-hour course
- RPL for the mandatory work placement requirements.
The student wishes to sit the optional HSC VET exam.
Process
The school and RTO delivering the HSC course reviews the evidence provided by the student and determines that the student is granted:
- credit transfer for units of competency achieved
- credit for HSC indicative hours for units of competency achieved – they will not be required to undertake any additional units of competency
- RPL for mandatory work placement requirements based on the on-the-job training they have completed as a part of their traineeship.
The student is required to undertake some study to address gaps in learning they have in relation to the HSC Content (focus areas).
The school or RTO will determine an appropriate estimated exam mark and will provide the student with learning opportunities or a program to support their exam preparation.
The school will enter the student in the full 240-hour course in one year (4 units x 1 year) and enter the outcomes for the units of competency as credit transfer. They will also enter the student in the Retail Services HSC exam.
Scenario
A student lives on a property and works as a farm hand before and after school. The student is entered in Primary Industries (240 indicative hours).
The student has applied for RPL for:
- 50 indicative hours of units of competency that are mandatory or stream for the HSC course
- 70 indicative hours of units of competency that are elective for the HSC course
- the 70-hour mandatory work placement requirement.
The student wishes to undertake the Primary Industries HSC exam.
Process
The school and RTO reviews the evidence provided by the student and assesses the student. The outcome of the assessment results in the student being granted:
- achievement of all of the units of competency assessed through RPL
- credit for 120 HSC indicative hours for the units of competency awarded through RPL – the student will not be required to undertake any additional units of competency to make up the indicative hours which have been awarded through RPL.
Under the provisions in ACE Rule 14.4.2 the school grants the student RPL for 50% of the mandatory work placement requirement.
The student is required to:
- complete the remaining HSC VET course requirements (55 HSC indicative hours of associated mandatory or stream units of competency, and 65 HSC indicative hours of elective units)
- undertake some study to address gaps in learning they have in relation to the HSC Content (focus areas) for the associated mandatory or stream units of competency awarded through RPL
- complete the remaining 50% of the mandatory work placement requirement.
The school will enter the student in the full 240-hour course in one year (4 units x 1 year) and enter the outcomes for the units of competency assessed as RPL.
The school has decided to timetable the student into the Year 12 class while they are in Year 11 to complete the remaining 120 hours of units of competency.
The student is eligible to undertake the Primary Industries HSC exam and could choose to do so at the end of Year 11.
Scenario
A student has completed a first aid course as a part of their HSC Health and Movement Science course.
The student also undertakes VET courses containing a first aid unit of competency.
The student has applied for RPL for the first aid unit of competency which is a mandatory associated unit of competency in one VET course (VET course A) and a core unit of competency for the qualification of another VET course (VET course B) they are undertaking.
Process
The school and RTO reviews the evidence provided by the student and assesses the student as part of VET course A.
As a result the student is:
- awarded RPL for the first aid unit of competency in VET course A – this is entered in Schools Online as RPL for this unit of competency
- subsequently awarded credit transfer for the same first aid unit of competency in VET course B – this is entered in Schools Online as credit transfer for this unit of competency
- given credit for the HSC indicative hours for the first aid unit of competency in both VET courses – they will not be required to undertake any additional units of competency in either course to make up these hours.
Note, if the unit of competency was an elective in one of the courses rather than mandatory or core, the student would be required to undertake additional unit(s) of competency to make up the hours.
The student is required to:
- undertake some study to address any gaps in learning they may have in relation to the HSC Content for the first aid unit of competency if it is an associated unit of competency for a Framework HSC focus area (this may include contextualising the unit to the industry of the Framework)
- complete the remaining HSC course requirements.